Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Jul 8 1924.

J. F" O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 8, 192} 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irwezziar J. F. O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 8 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1" 4 F 6 0 a7 35 45 Patented July 8, 1924.

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JOHN E. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO W. H. MINER, INC, A CO'RFORATION F DELAWARE.

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSOlR-IBING MECHANISM.

Application filed September 8, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock-Absorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompany- 1 ing drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One of the objects of my invention is to 15 provide an eflicient railroad car draft riggln A nother object is to provide a wedge for the friction parts that will have a highwedging action and will be capable of easy release. Other objects will appear from the description of the embodiment of my invention hereinafter following and shown in the drawings. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section partly in top plan view, of a draft rigging embodying my'invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section takenon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical 30 longitudinal section taken on the line 4: 4; of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the wedging elements. Fig. 6 is a erspective view of the wedging key. Figs.

' 8 and 9 illustrate a modification in which a' gear is shown that has .a frictional shell circular in form instead of substantially rectangular as shownin the previous figures. In these, Fig. 7 is a front end elevation. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7. V

Referring to the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusivc, the numerals 10 indicate draft members or parts of the car frame to which the draft rigging is applied. Rear stop members are shown at 11-911 and front stop members at 1212. The drawbar 13 is provided with a transverse key 14L which passes through slots 15-15 in the yoke 16' making a sliding con nection between the yoke and drawbar, the ends of the 7 key extending through slots 17'1 7 in the front stop members and adjacent" portions of the draft members. A

Serial No. 499,210.

front follower is indicated by the numeral 18 and a tie plate or carrier 19 is bolted as at 2020 to the draft members and is adapted to support the parts within the yoke.

The shell or casing 21 is interiorally provlded with spring members comprised of the double coils 22-22 in twin arrangement, seated between the rear plate 23 of the shell and the spring follower2t. The spring follower engages the rear ends of the friction shoes 25-25 which are adapted each to frictionally bear against the adjacent friction liner 26. Between the friction-shoe is mounted a wedge mechanism 27 which includes the wedge-members 2828 between which is interposed the friction plate 29. The friction liners 26 are provided with the shoulders 30-30 which are adapted to en gage between the internal shoulders 3131 with which the interior forward portion of the shell is provided. The wedge members 2828 are each provided on their outer faces with a plurality of anti-friction roll seats'3232 for the reception of the antifriction rollers 33-38 which operate between the said wedge member and the adjacent roll seats 3 134 provided upon the friction shoe 25. The wedge members 28 are each provided at their inner ends with an inwardly turned shoulder'35 against which the rear edge 36 ofthe friction plate bears in normal position of the parts. The said friction plate 29 is a flat rectangular form and provided at its upper and lower ends with transversely extending, preferably convexed, guides 37 adapted to move longitudinally in theupper and lower ways 38 and 39, respectively, which are longitudinally ar ranged inthe interior faces of the shell. The guides at their outer ends form shoulders 404O which are stepped back from the front edge 110f the friction plate 29 sufficiently to permit the engagement of the said shoulders 40 against the retaining flange 42 which forwardly terminates the grooves 38 and 39 within the shell and to permit, when so engaged, the forward eX- tension of the face 411 of the friction'plate beyond the forward or open end of the shell as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In this position of the plate, it will be observed that the wedge members 28-28 are arrangedto extend forwardly of the front edge of said plate in normal position of the parts.- The grooves 38 and 39 are rearwardly closed by the upper and lower shoulders and stops: 43 and 44 respectively, shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In assembling the friction mechanism of the gear, the liners 26 may be first inserted and then the friction plate may be inserted through the forward opening of the shell in a horizontal position and rotated into its vertical position in the grooves 38and 39 between the limiting shoulders and stop or stops at the ends thereof, hereinafter'described. t will be noticed th-at'the length of the guides 40 upon the friction plate is less than the length of the grooves. 38 and 39, to permit a. short sliding movement. of the friction plate longitudinally of the shell.

On, rearward movement of the draw bar, the shell; is held against retreat by the rear stop members 11, the: front: follower is forced rearwardly pressing against the wedge members 2828 of the wedge mechanism 27, which, together with the friction plate, moves rearwardl-y; as a. unit: and through the mediumof the anti-frictionrollers. operating upon the roll seats of the. friction shoes, spreads the said shoes into frictional engagement with the shell liners, the rearward movement of. said shoes being yieldingly resisted. by the springspressing against the spring follower, which isinterposed between them and the friction. shoes; This spreading action continues until the guides37 engage the rear stop shoulders in the; grooves 38 and 39,and simultaneously therewith the front edge ll of the friction plate is at. the moutlrofthe shell, in. which posit-ion it obviously cannot be driven farther inward by the; further rearwardmovement of the; follower when the follower has, as it may. thereafter, come into engagement with the front end of'fthe shell. Upon halting of the friction plate, v the follower drives the wedge members 2.8 still farther rearwardly, each wedge member, however, acting separately and sliding in frictional engagement upon the sidesof the friction plate- Thus, if the total wedging angle of the wedge mechanism when thewedge mem= here 28; and the friction plate 29 are moving together as a unitary wedge, hasa given angle upon the stoppage of. the friction plate, each wedge member 28 will continuet'o act 011 its: further; movement, each. having a wedgingan'gle ofonehalfthat of the wedging mechanism before the halting of the friction plate.

Onrelease movement, the springs bear outwardly upon; the spring; follower, drivingfback the friction sl1oes25and carrying the wedge-members 285 and the frictionplate 29outwardly as aisingle unit until the, front shoulders;40 of the guides 37 engage against the-shoulders or'stops 4L2 arresting the outward movementof the friction plate andipermitting the wedge members28 to continue to travel outwardly until their shoulders 35 engage the rear edge of. the friction plate 29 when normal position of the parts is once more attained. I

Upon forward movement of the draw bar, the front follower holds the wedge members 28 against forward movement, the shell is moved forwardly by the yoke and action. of. the parts is attained within the shell similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with the rearward movement of the draw bar, as will be well understood.

In the modified form, shown, in. Figures 7,. 8 and 9 of of' the drawings, the front portion. of afriction shell is indicated. by the numeral. having within it the usual springs, not shown, the spring follower: 71, the friction shoes 72 annularly arranged within the shell, and wedge members 7373, having" interposed between, them the friction plate 74. Between each of the wedge members-73 and the adjacent friction shoes 72 an anti-friction. roller 75 is mounted. The shell: shown; in the modified form, it will be noted, is. circular in cross section and the plate 74 is provided with upper and lower guides 76 which operate in. the ways 77 and: 7.8, respectively, provided in the shell. The said waysv are forwardly closed by theshould'ers- 79-79 and rearwardly closed, by similar shoulders 8O--8O which form. stops for the. upper and lower projections 81 and 82 with which the friction plate 7.4. is providedto limit its forward and rearward movement. The friction plate 74. and other parts are assembled in a. manner similar to that/employed in as sembling parts of the device shown, in- Fig.- ures l to 5 inclusive. The action of the parts is the same as in the preferable form, the chief difference between the modified form and the preferred! one being that in the modification no liner is used for the shell; the friction. part of the shell is circularinstead of generally rectangular in cross section; the wedging key protrudes less from the shell, and the wedge members eachemploy a'single; anti-friction roller instead of a. plurality of rollers.

I havehereinshown and described what I; now consider the preferred. manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merely. illustrative and I contemplate: all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims-appended heret0= 1'. In a friction shock. absorbing mechanism, the a combination with, a. frictionv shell; of friction shoes within said'shelhapair of wedge members; co-acting; with. said shoes; a movable friction element interposed between said members,said. element being provided with guides,jand said shell being provided with. ways to receive said: guides, said ways being provided with stops tolimitthe movement of said guides; and a spring resistance opposing inward movement of said shoes.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mecha nism, the combination with a shell having interior frictioir surfaces; of friction shoes within said shell, said shoes being adapted to co-act with said interior friction surfaces; a pair of friction wedge members; a spring resistance; and a friction element mounted between said members, said friction element being provided at its ends with guides and said shell being provided with ways to receive said guides, said ways being provided with shoulders at the outer ends thereof to limit the outward movement of the friction element.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a shell having interior friction surfaces; of friction shoes within said shell; a pair of wedge members co-acting with said shoes; a spring resistance for said shoes; and a friction element mounted between said members, said frici tion element being provided at its ends with convex guides and said shell being provided with concave ways to receive said guides, said ways being provided with shoulders at the outer ends thereof to limit the outward movement of the friction element.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a shell; of friction shoes within said shell; a spring resistelement interposed between said members,

said friction element being spaced from both of said followers, said element and said shell being provided with co -operating guides and ways, said ways being provided with stops to limit the movement of the friction element.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a shell provided with interior friction surfaces; of friction wedge shoes in said shell coacting with said friction surfaces; a pair of wedge members coacting with said shoes; a longitudinally movable friction element mounted between said members, said element and said shell being provided with coacting stops for lim iting the inward and outward movement of said element with reference to the shell; and a spring resistance for said wedge shoes. I

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of August, 1921.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. Witnesses:

CARRIE GAILING, UNA C. PERIN. 

